Posted by jvford on 12/29/2011 7:22:00 PM (view original):It had everything to do with the rules. Defenses can't dominate in the NFL the way they used to.

I disagree - some guys will back off and become completely ineffective players. But the truly good players don't have to change their game much to spear a guy and break him in half, as opposed to taking his head off. Others, like Harrison, are willing to keep playing as they did and pony up the dough.

Rules have forced adjustments, to be sure, but they don't make the good defenders less effective.

Posted by jvford on 12/29/2011 7:22:00 PM (view original):It had everything to do with the rules. Defenses can't dominate in the NFL the way they used to.

I disagree - some guys will back off and become completely ineffective players. But the truly good players don't have to change their game much to spear a guy and break him in half, as opposed to taking his head off. Others, like Harrison, are willing to keep playing as they did and pony up the dough.

Rules have forced adjustments, to be sure, but they don't make the good defenders less effective.

Yes they do.

If the same secondary who used to give up a QB rating of 60 would now allow a rating of 70, that is less effective. Altogether it amplifies the impact of a very good passing attack.

FWIW, much of the difference in today's game is the stressing of ball security. Back in the day, throwing the INT 30 yards downfield was acceptable. "Almost like a punt!" they'd say. Today a QB is expected to dump it down, throw it away or take the sack. That's why guys like Romo are considered less than stellar QB.

Posted by deanod on 12/30/2011 3:36:00 PM (view original):Sometimes I wonder where in the blue **** you get your theories.

For ****'s sake we live in a world where Sexy Rexy is starting for an NFL team, if that doesn't indicate that it's a "throw it down the field" type of league then I don't know what does.

This is correct. They call it throwing off the back shoulder these days, but what they really are, are jump balls. The rules are so slanted to the offense these days that it makes it worth doing. Rivers spends entire games doing it and at least half of Tebows passes are the same.

At the moment, it's Tebow, since he actually has a job and could at least theoretically be called upon in a barrage of injuries. If VY were to make the Packers, I'd say him, because I think the Packers would be more likely to actually use him if the other QBs went down.